Earlier this week Mila Kunis told Extra’s Mario Lopez that she was “not disinterested” in playing Anastasia Steele, the female lead in the upcoming adaptation of the “erotic novel” 50 Shades of Grey. She did note that she had not explicitly expressed interest in the film, though.

A rumor circulated earlier this month that the Oz the Great and Powerful star had told U.K.’s The Sun that she’d love to portray Christian Grey's partner in…”play.” The outlet quoted Kunis as saying, "There are times when you just want to do something fun and different, because you're going to have a good time doing it."

In truth, the interview never took place. Of course, now that the rumor has started something may develop. The internet often gives studios and filmmakers ideas – note Kunis’ Ted co-star Mark Wahlberg’s role in Transformers 4.

THR is now reporting that the film may arrive in theatres as early as next summer, so casting is likely to get underway shortly. Kelly Marcel will be adapting E.L. James' novel for Universal Pictures and Focus Features.

Universal Pictures chairman Adam Fogelson had the following to say about the timing of the release:

"I don't believe that [E.L. James] had any interest in going to a studio where rushing it into production was the vision. I don't believe that the second or third film would have benefited from that strategy. And I think that there are totally legitimate questions about what this book is as a movie. I will tell you that it is an absolute priority for us. It's conceivable that we could be ready to release it as early as next summer."

So brace yourselves for the phenomena of it all.

Roth Cornet is an Entertainment Editor for IGN. You can follow her on Twitter at @RothCornet and IGN at Roth-IGN.